7 Things Parents Need to Know Before Deciding on a Dance Studio:
If your area studios appear to have experienced and friendly teachers, offer children’s classes, and have a big recital at the end of the dance year, don’t they seem pretty similar? Does it really make a difference where you enroll your children? The answer is “yes”. Here are 7 important things that can make a drastic difference in what kind of dance education your child receives, the sheer fun of learning, and your happiness of where you choose to enroll in a dance program. Please read the following and use these points as a guideline before making a dance choice for you and/or your child.
The art of dance is a physical activity requiring jumping and, more importantly, landing. This activity puts additional stress on joints and bones. Dance shoes alone cannot provide enough cushioning or support, so dance itself can put pressure on the back and knees of each dancer. If a studio is equipped with a professional sprung floating floor, that studio is taking every measure to ensure the health of their students. This floor rests on a system of high density foam that in turn absorbs the shock on the body. Broadway South features high density foam based sprung floors in all studios.
The surface on which the dancer dances is also important. Our floors are vinyl “Marley” floors that are well known in the dance world as being THE best surface on which to dance. Professional companies around the world including Alvin Ailey and New York City Ballet all use these types of flooring in their home studios as well as on the road in touring cities. This floor allows the perfect leverage for the dancer-it is neither too sticky or too slippery. Very few studios use this type of surface because of the great expense and usually opt for a cheaper alternative. Our top of the line flooring will reduce injuries and give the students the optimal surface on which to dance. Our sprung floor is under our “Marley” surface. Some local studios have now begun using Marley. But, you must ask what lies underneath? You will most likely find cement under their marley sufaces, not the ideal surface for a dancer’s body. What have you been dancing on in the past?
It is a very important question to ask before enrolling. Some studios have tiny spaces; therefore, they have to limit their class size because of limited dance area. Other local studios do not limit their classes and have 50 or more students in one class. At Broadway South, we have spacious studios, yet we are limiting our class sizes for a better learning experience. By limiting our sizes in each class, we are allowing the child or adult to receive more personalized attention. Dance concepts are easier to understand. Proper technique is taught. Please contact us for specifics on class sizes as they vary depending on age and levels. Most studios in town have a max class size of 30 students. Our sizes are well below this.
One probably thinks if a studio offers dance classes, they must be qualified. A truly qualified instructor has many years of training in the arts. Great knowledge comes with this. Students have a structure in which to progress. Our teachers have the necessary attributes for a dancer to develop proper technique and knowledge. Broadway South teachers are continually learning as we attend dance seminars and conventions yearly. Our studio is recognized by the Alabama Arts Council and we serve as a delegate from Alabama representing National Dance Week.
Broadway South has a wide array of classes at all times in all dance forms. We also have weekend classes with the working parents in mind. Our classes don’t extend too late into the evening hours, keeping families and school work in mind. We are also proud to offer some unusual and hard to find classes. We have some unique class offerings that cannot be found elsewhere in Mobile.
We are very careful to select age appropriate costumes for recital. Our music and choreography for dance class and performances will be age appropriate as well. Many studios have no guidelines on these standards and children are exposed to inappropriate costumes, music, and choreography in their chosen classes.
At many studios, parents are not allowed to view their children’s classes. You may often wonder how they did, what they learned, and most importantly how they are progressing.
Broadway South offers one way windows for parent viewing at all times. No set dates for viewing your child’s class. You can watch at any given time! This enables you to see what your child learns weekly and what our curriculum offers to your child. Our comfortable lobby invites you to sit and watch, not to drop your child off and run!
Many studios do not employ an office administrator and leave the job to the studio owner or teachers. This becomes a struggle as they are often trying to do more than one job at a time. During operating hours, we will have an office administrator available to answer your questions and direct you in the right path. This is an effort to provide you with the best customer service available. We have a fully functional website providing information as well as email and voicemail that is answered in a timely manner.